‘Win It’ Wednesday: Designer Laptop Bag

We challenge you to find a more attractive laptop bag than the Chopper by eco-friendly vegan handbag maker Gunas. We also challenge you to find it at a better price than free. Gunas is giving this elegant $450 designer bag to one lucky PETA Files reader. The they’ll-never-believe-it’s-not-leather bag has a padded pocket, extra compartment, and padded shoulder strap.

Gunas

How to Win

To enter, just leave a comment telling us why you love being cruelty-free or how you’ll use this Gunas bag to spread the cruelty-free message. The most inspiring comment will be chosen as the winner.*

Get More Stuff

Want even more cruelty-free product giveaways, coupons, deals, and steals? Just “like” PETA’s “Shop for Animals” Facebook page. Even if you aren’t the lucky winner, you can still get a Gunas bag at a great deal. The company is offering an exclusive discount to PETA’s blog readers. Just enter the code PETA20 when you purchase a bag via the company’s website to receive 20 percent off on all bags sitewide. (Valid until February 20.)

*The contest ends February 14, 2012, and the winner will be notified February 14, 2012. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you’re agreeing to both by commenting. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.

Fashion fused with love – cruelty free has a value far beyond the price tag! This chic bag will serve as both a wardrobe booster and a conversation starter to spread the word about saving animals and make a statement in more than one fabulous way!

There is no reason why I like being cruelty free. That is the fundamental way people must be. I never stop musing how on earth people can be as callous as they are. Not only in their ignorance but even in their awareness. Im the light of their desire, they do not see their selfishness. People lack empathy. They are not born with it. And they do not want to imbibe it. Even among the sophisticated, they never win an argument with me, but will never accept it. Eloquence it imperative as is articulation of your thoughts, during arguments, for those who think we are the weirdos will try to confound and confuse us with utterly irrelevant points that are more than unrelated. Do not assume they will fall for gut- wrenching videos or pictures- they will have excuses or reasonings for it. Even among educated, sophistication is rare and conviction is hard to get. In this light, I reiterate my wonderment as to how people can cause and turn indifferent to something as primeval as pain and torment. We need to constantly think and philosophize. For, it is only by thinking that we can be prepared. A popular argument that I get justifying animal cruelty and death is that animals do not have the emotional pain of humans nor are they so sacred as a human life. The last time a person propounded this titanic stupidity to me, I asked him whether he would prefer his daughter marry a soldier or a butcher ? Stupefied, but he nonetheless launched into an idiotic charade which he himself knew was all gas. Point is, I seem unable to even live, thinking about all this injustice going on. With the other side just smugly loving being prudish about their choice. We are called weirdos. I asked one if the person did not think spending 5000 dollars to save the person’s dog’s life while spending 30 to take another for dinner was not weird. I already know what I want to do in life and I’ ll do it immaterial of whether I get a bag. I just thought this was a good forum for a good reading of my thoughts and so. If I do get this bag, I’ll probably publicize that I’ll give it to anyone of my non- vegetarian who goes vegetarian for the longest with a minimum of 4 or 6 months. I would save atleast a few lives. All of us who suffer inside at this injustice, we should all, we must put effort into our campaign. Write, speak, demonstrate, do what you do best.

There’s no denying I love a good handbag, but as my collection of fabulous handbags grew I began to question who and what was behind the cause of my so thought joy. After some research, the conclusion I drew was there could be no joy in buying handbags that were made possible through the killing of innocent animals by seemingly heartless, conscience lacking people. I was disturbed by the conclusion I discovered so I set out to change my definition of fabulous handbags. Sporting a Gunas bag would be a superb way of showing it is possible to mix cruelty-free material and impeccable style! There is no excuse acceptable to support companies that sell handbags made by the horrifying practice of killing animals for fashion’s sake. I am convinced there is no cause worthy enough to justify harming someone or something else along the way! Alexander Von Humbolt, a German naturalist once said, “Cruelty to animals is one of the most significant vices of a low and ignoble people. Wherever one notices them, they constitute a sign of ignorance and brutality which cannot be painted over even by all the evidence of wealth and luxury.” To me this sums up the importance of living and buying cruelty-free because no matter what pretty, high fashion label we slap on something, nothing can cover the cruelty of it’s production.

Hi, first of all, I would like to thank you for holding this giveaway which helps to create awareness on the importance of being cruelty-free. I love being cruelty-free as I will not feel a sense of guilt deep inside, leaving me feeling carefree always. In addition, I believe that in this world, there is “retribution” even though people around me may say that I am simply superstitious. But to me, I feel that if I am cruelty-free, I may be able to live a better life in this life or the next life. I am afraid that if I am not cruelty-free, I may be born as an animal to be skinned in my next life. I’ll use this Gunas bag for everything, going to school, work, play, sports, movies, etc so as to let more people be able to know the existence of this (kind of/specific) bag. Also, I will personalize a (Red) (choose this color so as to attract the attention of others easily) keychain that states “I am a not-leather bag. Be cruelty-free unless you want to be skinned too.” And hand it on this Gunas bag. In this way, the public will be encouraged to become a supporter of the Choose Cruelty Free campaign as they get attracted to this beautiful bag that surprises them that it is actually a not-leather bag. Wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. Thank you very much.

The internet has become my main method of spreading animal rights and awareness of the horrific realities of factory farming, animal testing, and use of animals in entertainment, to thousands of people each day. Since my laptop is my partner in activism, I think it would love this beautiful vegan bag for its home. The bag would also be fantastic to have for carrying flyers, petitions, and leaflets that I distribute at colleges. Using my backpack is slow and cumbersome, and this bag would be a great aid. Plus of course it’d be a perfect example to demonstrate to all my friends and family that one doesn’t have to sacrifice style and beauty to go vegan; vegan products are sexy

I would sport my laptop in the gunas bag and when people would say that it looks nice I would tell them “you know, it even is not real leather.” I love being vegetarian and knowing that I am helping save animals’ lives and helping to spare them from cruelty.

I make a point of making everyday a “good animal day” by that I mean If I come across an abandoned cat or dog..I put the wheels in park and pop the trunk where I have a small silly supply of random animal foods and water,and containers/trays from previous microwave dinners..everytime I feed these little guys they slowly creep toward me. Bystanders stare at me though I can only hope that when they witness a young woman feeding strays in 3inch heels is striking enoough to pay it forward!! In addition this super darling Gunas bag will hold those cute PETA stickers and pamplets I donate to preschools and librarys, laundromats, animal clinics, etc. on days off! I think it makes a small difference.

I love and respect ALL LIVING THINGS. I acknowledge their right to coexist in peace and harmony with all souls. Everything is made in God’s Image and I’m appalled and disgusted that some people have taken divine justice into their own hands to end a life based wholly on the benefit it will provide to them. I would be proud to show people that there are other lifesaving alternatives to consider in the name of fashion.

This Gunas bag is a splendid example to show people that you do not have to use real leather in order to attain a ‘leather-looking’ bag. It tells us that real leather bags can be substituted. And this is what I am going to tell my friends:”Unless you enjoy being skinned, stop that cruelty of yours. “

We ran around giggling and yelling in delight, as care-free children often do, searching the yard for stray fire flies to catch in our small jars. As my 6-year-old self looped from our back yard to front yard, I suddenly heard an awful squelch under my foot. Along with that came a disgusting and unwanted feeling of oozing goo. I ran toward the porch light to see what had happened, and came to the realization that I had completely squashed a slug between my toes and the surface of my flip-flop. Now, understand I had just newly become alright with letting a harmless fire fly touch my hand while getting it into a jar, so at the sight of this slime that used to be a living creature all over my foot, I screamed my little heart out. Obviously, That night had great significance in my life, considering I still remember it with perfect clarity twelve years later. That small and innocuous slug awakened a deep repulsion towards wearing or having to eat anything that had once been alive and kicking. Throughout my childhood, even more-so after the slug incident, I was pretty hesitant and picky with the carnivorous part of my diet. I loathed all seafood and felt so terrible for the lobsters in the tank at Shop-rite when I went on shopping errands with my mother. I finally reached my breaking point in the beginning of sixth grade. I met a girl named Jess that I became great friends with, and learned that she was a vegetarian. The fact that she was able to abstain from eating animals and still manage to be healthy astounded me. I decided to give it a shot and found that I missed nothing about meaty food. That was the year I became a lacto-ovo-vegetarian and never looked back. Over the years, I’ve had many vegetarian-specific trials. My peers at school have ridiculed my choice in as harmless an act as offering me a hamburger that they know I won’t touch, and as offensive an act as throwing bologna at my face. In the beginning, these types of acts hurt my feelings and I was surprised by how cruel people, whom I had previously thought were true friends, could be. As I got older though, I came to the realization that they didn’t hate the fact that I don’t eat meat. They just didn’t understand my thought process or why anyone would decide never again to eat meat and seafood. Through these experiences, I’ve learned to let the criticism roll off me like the rain on a waterproof coat, and laugh at the “veg-head” jokes that my friends still inevitably make. Because I am comfortable with who I am, I have an easier time standing up for my views on other topics as well. Remaining a vegetarian and keeping my conscience clear by not eating or wearing animals has definitely proven worth it. (by the way, I’m a poor college student, and i end up carrying my laptop in an old, thin tote bag through all kinds of weather, this bag would be the perfect eco-friendly fix for that, and I give you my word that I will tell everyone I catch looking at it, that it’s a Gunas faux leather bag and that I won it from my heroes at PETA, thanks for reading!)

I’ve become a lot more aware of the type of animal cruelty in order for people to have goods. I no longer buy fur and I use more organic materials. I would love this bag because it would help promote my move toward being more concious of what companies produce.

My husband and I are both vegan. We are both always looking for cruelty free items for use in our daily lives. This beautiful bag is a perfect example of a visually pleasing, soul and ethics satisfying, perfectly performing functional item. Cudos to the designer and manufacturer. Whoever wins this bag will be able to demonstrate to others how choosing cruelty free does not mean loosing any of the style, practicality or durability of leather. Well done!

This bag is cruetly-free fabulous fashion at its finest!! With my recently ordered peta leaflets, my laptop and this awesome bag I will be fully prepared to head out on my canadian university campus and spread the word and promote a cruelty-free lifestyle. I believe it is very important to educate the youth, especially the college and univeristy population, on the health benefits of not eating meat! Being a student I remember how easy it was to pop into a fast-food restaurant and grab a burger and fries. Educating the members from my univeristy on the conditions animals endure in factory farming and the many health risks of eating meat is a passion of mine I am getting close to my 1 year anniversary of being a vegitarian and I haven’t felt better and happier about helping liberate animals from unnecessary crutely. Everytime I take my laptop out of this beautiful bag it will help to reaffirm my commitment to helping end animal cruelty! Animals are friends, not food!!!

Since becoming vegan and adopting a cruelty free lifestyle, I see the world in a totally new perspective. I feel so much healthier, both physically and mentally. I’m finally proud to live the life I live, wear the clothes I wear and eat the food I eat, and will continue on that way for the rest of my life. Animals have always given me comfort when I’m most down, and helping them in any way I can raises my spirits even higher.

I’m new to a completely cruelty free lifestyle and having a good time researching companies and looking for alternatives to mainstream shopping. A few weeks ago I held a closet party, I accepted donations for all of my used leather bags, (I had quite a few) and used the event to serve up vast amounts of vegan appetizers and had a really good debate with my non veg friends. I raised 450 that I donated to the Canadian Hunger Fund. So I really need this bag because I have don’t have any bags left.

loving being a cruelty-free advocate, especially with the diligent help of peta, a huge role model educating about animal abuse and neglect. winning the eco-friendly, attractive and vegan laptop gunas bag, will be proudly hailed in support of animal rights.

I have lived and breathed a vegan & cruelty free lifestyle for quite a while now and one of the biggest roadblocks I have encountered is the idea that real men wear leather. Friends and relatives can’t get over the idea of finding non-leather accessories. I have to admit it’s been tough and my current laptop bag is proof of the same. I use it all day everyday for work and home and I go through one canvas or synthetic bag every few months. Please oh please let me win this Gunas bag so I can show the world that men can be fashionable and cruelty-free!!!

Going vegan a few years ago I never had any idea how tough a fight it would be to get my vegan message of love across to loved ones and strangers alike. I have been able to strike a cord with more people by educating them about the cruelty involved in the fashion and beauty industries than anything else. It has been a joy to see people who once educated, come out of the dark and into the light and have begun to move towards not only a vegan lifestyle but a cruelty free one. Using this laptop bag daily when I travel to meet various clients it would be a fantastic way to show how cruelty free doesn’t have to mean cheap sweat shop synthetics but fashion forward and animal-friendly design!

I live to be cruelty free and nothing is harder then to show my friends that real men don’t wear leather! I use my laptop everyday for work, currently toting it around in a synthetic bag that is already fraying. Winning this bag would enforce my vegan lifestyle and only help me prove that non leather and cruelty free is not only an option for all but a fashionable one for men all around!

Being cruelty free has become the most amazing by-product of going vegan a few years ago. I had absolute nightmares about the horrors that factory farmed animals went through and it was so difficult to adjust from vegetarian to vegan in a meat eating world. After explaining “why vegan” to so many I realized that the cruelty involved in the fashion industry was perhaps the most effective way to explain the many downfalls of the horrible factory farm and dairy industry system. Being cruelty free is a label I wear proudly everyday now! I would s

A CHOICE If we look with our heart We can see the pain in their eyes I see the begging, the beseeching Behind the fear are so many Why’s They are alive and so beautiful These creatures we abuse Just like us they need love But it is death for them we choose They can’t tell us to stop They have no words to speak But their cries can be heard Even from those so very weak The joy of living is for us all Be it man or be it beast We are caretakers of them all From the mightiest to the least Respect, love, dignity and care Is not only for the human race The animals we share Earth with Deserve to live and die with grace Make the choice to never hurt Any being that can feel pain Animals are to be treasured Not to be caged to go insane Let each of us do the right thing Let each of us make the right choice For those that suffer such cruelty Please stand up and be their Voice. someone or a lot of someones has to stand up and be their voice…

I love to walk with animals, when both of us are ALIVE. An animal and a bag can’t be the same thing, just like a human being can’t be a pitiless machine. Cruelty-free is not just for them but for all the living beings on earth, including us. We must stop killing animals, stop killing our humanity.

Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? Read more.